Step Outside On Earth Day!

When I get together with my friends that have children, we all agree there are not enough hours in the day to spend quality time with our family. Too many of us find ourselves driving carpools, sitting in front of computers, changing diapers, and racing around…but being outside with our kids, breathing healthy air, getting exercise or even just packing a picnic lunch is so important. Although my kids ages range from 7 to 20, I try to arrange something for us all to do together that everyone will find fun…when you think about it, the outdoors is a great outdoor adventure park, just use your imagination!

Recently, we headed to the beach with lunch and some fishing line. After collecting a variety of shells, we hung them from a long piece of driftwood to make a beautiful natural beachy mobile…which reminds me daily of the wonderful afternoon we spent together.

Creating an outdoor play – living area is super fun and easy! Bed sheets are instant walls that you can hang from trees or a clothes line. Once you create a space, throw some outdoor furniture cushions down with a few throw pillow and you have an instant fort for your kids to play in.

My daughter loves watching the birds. Together, we built a birdhouse, painted it and hung it from the tree in our front yard so we could watch the birds from our dining room table. I love watching her check to see if she needs to replenish the birdseed.

One of my fondest memories is the amazing outdoor scavenger hunt. We rode our bikes all around the neighborhood checking mailboxes and under rocks and bushes for the multitudes of clues our parents hide leading us to an amazing outside ice cream party.

Whatever you decide to do, it’s all fun and brings out the child in you!

Who said recycling had to be boring…